Anne Wilson Says Being Bullied Shaped Her Mission to Help Girls Discover Their Worth
Anne Wilson’s sudden rise to performing before packed audiences and winning awards may make it seem as if success came easily, but she hasn’t forgotten the loneliness and pain she endured as a tween and teenager bullied by her peers.
Now Wilson, 23, wants to use her platform and her past experiences to help other girls navigate similar struggles.
Wilson is the author of a new 40-day devotional, Hey Girl: You Are Seen, Loved, and Made for More, which helps young girls discover their true worth in Christ.
“When I was in that age group of middle school and high school, I didn't believe I was worth anything,” Wilson told Crosswalk Headlines. “I was so insecure, and girls were mean to me. I was bullied. I got hate comments.”
The pressure on teens has grown only worse in the decade since, Wilson believes, with the popularity of social media and the constant presence of smartphones among young people.
“There is such an attack on that generation, and just with social media,” Wilson said. “I wanted to write a devotional to encourage them, to inspire them, to remind them of their identity in Christ, and to ultimately [for them] to be able to read that and say: I am loved. I am chosen. I am a daughter of Jesus. I'm not the sum of what these girls have said to me at school, or the things I've been made fun of over and over, or the comments on social media I've gotten, or the lack of followers I have, but I am who Jesus says I am, and He calls me loved, adored, chosen, worthy, precious.”
Wilson released the devotional this fall, merely weeks before her third album, Stars, landed on shelves. A single from that project, God Story, is No. 12 on the Billboard Christian Airplay and Hot Christian Songs charts.
“I have such a heart for girls,” Wilson added. “I've always said if music wasn't something that I ended up doing, and [if] God didn't have that for me, [my career] would have probably ended up being something to do with ministry for girls, because I love being able to encourage them and inspire them.”
Wilson’s 2021 song Hey Girl had a similar theme as her devotional, acknowledging the struggles of youth but reminding young girls of their worth.
The devotional, she said, allowed her to expand on the message.
“I can only say so much in a song, and I can only say so much in a concert,” she said. “And so to be able to have something that people can go and take home with them to continue to read was definitely one of my goals. I'm so thankful.”
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Photo Credit: ©Capitol Christian Music Group
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published December 10, 2025.
